Sweating All Your Blood
by with eyes looking up
Summary: It has been a year since Sasuke left for Orochimaru and Naruto still hasn't forgiven him. SasuNaru, OLD.


Sweating All Your Blood

**A/N: This is made by both X.Trust.Takes.Time.X and InvisibleCrimsonTenshi. It's SasuNaru, so you don't like, don't read. Good? Good. While you read this, I suggest listening to 'Breathe', by Paramore. Just a mood setter. It'll have a lot more effect that way.**

**Tx3 A/N: Yes, I do have in my profile Yaoi is gross. But Yaoi is boyboy Sex. This is NOT. Mmkay?**

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Where you used to be, there is a hole in the world, which I find myself constantly walking around in the daytime, and falling in at night. I miss you like hell. Edna St. Vincent Millay

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From the treetops, a raven-haired boy watched a speck of yellow bob down the path, knowing full well said blob was oblivious to him. A year had passed since they had seen each other, and the stoic Uchiha had left on a bad note. Unknowing of why he had chosen this day to cause a reunion with his best friend, the young Uchiha had followed him for an hour through the forest, searching for an answer.

Growing impatient, and knowing his time was running low before he had to head back to avoid suspicion of his Sensei, Sasuke called out, "Hey, Dobe."

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Naruto knew it was getting late. Sakura would probably be getting worried soon- he knew she hated it when he ran off like this. But sometimes he needed awhile to think for himself…other times, there are people around 24/7, and watching his every movement.

He sighed, throwing his hands up and letting them stretch to the crimson sky. "I've gotten a lot stronger, haven't I?" At the silent answer, he shook his head in grim amusement. "Naruto, you're going insane. Stop talking to yourself."

"Hey, Dobe."

Naruto stopped in his tracks, hands resting behind his head. He could've sworn…nah; he hadn't heard Sasuke's voice in a year. And still, it'd never been that tentative. Slowly, though, he turned to look at the person behind him.

"…Sasuke?"

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Hopping down from the tree to land with a 'tak' behind the blond, Sasuke waited for a reaction. A moment later, Naruto turned around, staring in tentative disbelief.

"…Sasuke?" the shocked prankster whispered. Sasuke gave a smirk, hiding his nervousness. "Of course, Idiot. Who else?"

The reaction he got from the Kitsune vessel was not what he expected. Maybe joy, happiness, or something along the lines of how he usually reacted, but..no. Naruto had lunged, roaring at him in fury. "You…you bastard!"

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Naruto couldn't believe his ears. Sasuke, after almost killing him, betraying the village, turning himself to one of Orochimaru's pawns, and hurting Sakura...had come back, and yet all he could do was throw insults like back when they were a team.

He could see Sasuke's smirk, but he didn't believe it. He didn't WANT to believe it- it just hurt too much to think about it. His body thought differently, though, because a moment later, he was hurtling towards Sasuke, yelling in fury. "You…you bastard!"

Sasuke quickly moved out of the way, not wanting to start a fight. He had actually come to… make amends. "Naruto. Stop."

Naruto growled at him, throwing a punch. "Don't you dare think you can come back after all you've done and order me around, Traitor."

Sasuke winced. That hurt more than any blow he received. "Naruto… Please, just stop hitting me for two minutes." That stopped him. Naruto hesitated briefly, balled up fist raised. "…why should I?"

"Because… Because the reason I came… was to apologize." Sasuke mumbled, his level of pride lowering a notch.

A look flittered in Naruto's eyes, and his fist lowered slightly. Sasuke thought he'd accept it, but then suddenly, a fist was in his face and he was sent flying into a tree. Naruto sniffed, backing off. "That's for a year ago."

"I guess I deserved that…" Sasuke wiped the blood off his mouth, standing back up. Keeping a few feet from Naruto so he would have a better warning of a punch, Sasuke said, "Naruto, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for being an ass. I'm sorry for almost killing you. I'm sorry for betraying the village. I'm sorry for **everything.**"

Naruto felt his eyes widen and looked away to hide it. For a moment, neither spoke, but Naruto suddenly muttered, "That…that means a lot, Sasuke. Thanks."

Sasuke nodded, looking at the blond avoiding his gaze. "Well, tell Sakura what I said." With that, Sasuke turned away, beginning to leave and head back to his 'home'.

"W-wait, you're just going to leave again? Sasuke, you can't do that!" Naruto exclaimed, running over to stand in front of the dark hared boy. "Just stay here! I'm sure Tsunade-Baachan will let you stay, and hopefully we can keep Orochimaru away, too! Sakura will be really happy to see you again, you know."

Sasuke stopped, staring at him. "I'm a missing nin, Naruto. I can't just waltz back into Konoha and expect everything to be fine. I'll be executed. Orochimaru would keep coming back and attacking the village. Nothing can go back to the way it was." Stepping around him, he started walking again.

An iron fist clenched around Naruto's chest, and he bit his lip. There was really no disagreeing with Sasuke's logic- he posed a good argument.

Sasuke pushed back any emotion he had, calling over his shoulder, "See you, Naruto-kun." That had been the first time since they were little that he had called Naruto by that level of affection.

For a moment, Naruto couldn't do anything, He wanted to do so many different things, but another minute and he'd probably never see his friend again. After not even two seconds of thinking, he turned and ran towards the onyx eyed teen walking away from him. "Sasuke!"

Sasuke stopped, looking down slowly. Two orange-sleeved arms were wrapped around his torso. An image of just a year ago flashed in his mind, and he felt as if someone had just ripped his heart out of his chest. "Naruto…get off, would you?"

Biting his lip, Naruto buried his face in the back of his rival…? friend?...foe…? Oh he didn't even know anymore.

Taking a deep breath, the raven-haired boy wrapped his hands around the blonde's wrists, forcing them from their death-hold. It was taking so much strength not to show his sorrow at leaving his friends again, and if he didn't get out of there soon enough, Naruto would notice it. More forcefully, he spoke. "Naruto. Get off me, now."

His statement came out more harsh than he expected, and Naruto's arms slowly lowered. Neither moved for a moment; Naruto's head still rested on Sasuke's back, in the middle of his shoulder blades. A memory of their fight popped into his head, and he glanced at the older boy's shoulder, where he knew that damned seal remained.

A moment later and Sasuke turned slightly to look at him over his shoulder. "Remember to tell Sakura what I said."

And then, Sasuke was gone, leaving Naruto to stand alone, suddenly clutching a piece of paper. In grim surprise, he looked down to uncrumple it.

Written in Sasuke's scrawled handwriting, it read:

'**Naruto,**

**Maybe after I've completed my Ambition.'**

And that was enough.


End file.
